Hope you're all having a stunning holiday season thus far. Yesterday I celebrated my birthday in the mix - 21 again, obviously. For the lucky few who have this fortnight off, it is a fantastic time to be in Australia. The sunshine is consistently glorious, without it being too hot. Perfect days for lazing outdoors, watching the cricket and an all important weekend institution: a caffeinated brunch.
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| A very minimalistic white/black/timber interior has an almost 'calming effect' on the bustling commuter Photo credit: Urban Walkabout |
Today I've got a newish Melbourne café for you. The Grain Store opened earlier this year on the business end of Flinders Lane. If you thought the Melbourne café market was saturated, think again. There always seems to be room for one more, and this one's a goodie. Chef Ingo Meissner (ex-St Ali) is at the helm at Grain putting emphasis on organic and sustainably sourced produce. The café is supplied by Brunswick's Ceres Market Gardens and are also serves as a drop off for customers to pick up their weekly groceries. A very nice idea if you work in the area.
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| St Ali bean blends rule the roost at Grain and as a result, the coffee is impeccable! |
At Grain, they definitely know their stuff. The menu reads like a dream, everything looks so appetising. The options are both varied and many - that is where the difficulty lies! After several days of some delicious and very filling meals in Melbourne I needed a wee detox, but maybe after I'd tried their pancakes...
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| Apple, buckwheat & ricotta pancakes with orange nutella, apple puree, spiced marscarpone and pistachio streusel. This is certainly not for the faint hearted at 9 in the morning. The pancakes themselves looked quite dense but were very nice with all the 'accoutrements'. Be prepared to share this one! |
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| Just what the Doctor ordered, haha. Grain Store toasted granola parfait with mandarin, chia seed yogurt and elderflower rhubarb, quinoa milk. For $10, this is the breakfast of champions, this is a textural delight. The chia seed topping was particularly tasty. You feel like such a health freak tucking in ;) |
The Grain Store is a cracker of café, if you're ever down that end of the Melbourne CBD you should definitely give it a go. Nutritious, organic and delicious meals await in a very peaceful spot. They also cater for functions and offer a private dining room for something a bit more spesh. As we were readying to leave, the staff were bringing out the bloody lunch smorgasbord and our jaws dropped. Oh man. Do we have to go yet?
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| Lain out like that, everything little thing looked so tempting. The suits next door must be rejoicing right. |
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| Pick up a delicious sarnie filled to bursting. It all looked incredible! |
The Grain Store was a fantastic note to finish the Melbourne getaway on. The food and service are second to none, even in this café motherland. We left with smiles all round - I highly recommend this one!
Thanks for reading (there's plenty more where that came from)! Have a fantastic new year's, here's to 2014 :D
xGourmand
those pancakes look delish! here's to an amazing 2014!
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